


Sunset

by Mija



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, One Shot, Star Trek Beyond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-05
Updated: 2016-08-05
Packaged: 2018-07-29 13:01:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7685599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mija/pseuds/Mija
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“What’s your favourite colour, Spock?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sunset

The worst thing about being stuck on a starbase, Leonard McCoy thinks, is being exposed to the artificial light.

Seriously, somebody should teach Yorktown’s architects a few lessons about proper lighting. Whoever had the idea to use this blinding white sort of light should spend a few hours in the soothing glow of good old-fashioned light bulbs, just to be aware of the difference.

Even the light on the _Enterprise_ hadn’t been that nasty, and – combined with the mainly white walls – it makes Leonard feel like he’s caught in a giant snowball. Definitely _not_ funny for a boy coming from the South.

The light in his quarters is even worse; it gives him a headache whenever he stays there too long, trying to soften it didn’t work and turning it off completely isn’t an option either, which is why he decided to look for another spot where he can get some well-needed rest.

Finally, he found a quiet corner on one of the observation decks of Yorktown’s Starfleet Headquarters, and he hopes that neither Jim nor any other member of their crew will find him here. Blocking out his surroundings, he relaxes against the backrest of his sofa and he’s just about to doze off when a quiet, unmistakable voice jerks him back into a reality that is much less pleasant than his daydreams.

“Doctor?”

His eyes snap open as he yanks his head around so quickly that a flash of pain cuts through his neck, and the sight of an uncharacteristically hesitant Vulcan standing in front of him doesn’t help to improve his mood.

“Dammit, Spock, don’t sneak up on me like that!” he hisses. “You're trying to give me a heart attack?”

Spock rises an eyebrow and, maintaining an appropriate distance, sits down next to Leonard – he actually _sits down_ and that’s enough to shut Leonard up. Spock _never_ sits when he’s up to business, which means that he came to see him because of more personal reasons, and Leonard doesn’t know whether or not he’s prepared for another heart-to-heart conversation with a half-Vulcan who has only recently learnt to embrace his human side.

“This was not my intention, as tempting as the idea may seem,” Spock says nonchalantly and Leonard rolls his eyes.

“Good for you,” he grumbles, “so what can I do for you? Your injury’s bothering you again?”

Of course he double-checked on Spock as soon as things had calmed down a little and once he had access to a _real_ sickbay, not those outdated medical facilities on the _USS Franklin_ ... but you never know. Spock with his oversized Vulcan pride has quite a reputation for trying to hide injuries and illnesses until the very last moment – in this regard, he is nearly as stubborn as Jim.

He’s almost relieved when Spock shakes his head just subtly enough to notice. Seems like he’s actually learnt to _care_ about the hobgoblin.

“Negative. As usual, you did an excellent job patching me up, as you would probably put it.”

Now it’s Leonards turn to raise an eyebrow. “Why, you’re complimenting me? I’m not sure if I’ll be able to survive that.” He resists the urge to nudge Spock with his elbow. Damn Vulcans always have to be wound up too tight ...

The artificial light makes Spock’s face look ghostly white.

“What’s the matter, Spock?” Leonard asks quietly. “You and Uhura are fighting again?”

He doesn’t really think that this is the reason for the unexpected company, but he can’t stop himself from teasing Spock now and then. Spock doesn’t approve, obviously, but at least it’s a reliable method of getting to the heart of the matter.

“I believe the state of my relationship with Lieutenant Uhura is none of your business, doctor,” he says coolly, but there’s a certain edge of uncertainty to his voice when he continues. “I came here to give you an answer to a yet unanswered question.”

Leonards squints at him blankly. “That is?”

“On Altamid, you asked me about my favourite colour.”

It takes Leonard a few moments to remember. Altamid, of course – a rocky riverbank, a crashed drone ship, the injury to Spock’s abdomen ...

He feels a smile blossom on his face, both affectionate and embarrassed. “Ah, Spock, I just wanted to distract you. You don’t need to answer that.”

Spock looks down at his clasped hands. “I have been thinking thoroughly about the issue and I came to the conclusion that I want to answer your inquiry.” He pauses as if expecting Leonard to interrupt him, to maybe tease him again, but when Leonard remains silent in some kind of concerned anticipation, he continues speaking. “My favourite colour is orange.”

Leonard’s eyebrow rises again reflexively as he stares at the Vulcan, seeing him in a completely new light. An _orange_ light, that is. “Orange, really? I’ve always thought you’d be the type of person who likes blue, you know. Orange ... how come?”

Spock takes his time before answering, and Leonard can tell by the way his eyes dart around the room that there’s more to it, that Spock doesn’t simply like the colour because he considers it beautiful.

“When I was a child, my mother introduced me to the human ritual of watching the sunset. I always admired the variety of colours, especially the different shades of orange; and I always found the sunsets on Vulcan quite inspiring.”

A silence falls, only now and then punctuated by the sound of steps and voices of passersby and by the occasional rumbling coming from the cargo bay below them. In Leonard's mind, the noises mingle with other sounds, with other memories ... memories of long summer nights, of mint julep and barbecue, of “Georgia on my mind” played on a flute around the campfire ...

The wave of homesickness flooding him dies down when he realises that memories like those must be everything Spock has left. Nothing but memories, no place to call “home” anymore, no place to go back to ...

Spock stares straight at the opposite wall, determined to avoid Leonard’s gaze. The pity that Leonard feels for him is so all-consuming that it even dispels his own gloomy thoughts, but he doesn’t show it. Pity is the last thing Spock wants – Spock who’s different and always will be, an outsider without a mother, without a home ...

Leonard sighs and gently puts a hand on his shoulder. “Know what, Spock? One day, if we survive this insane mission, I’ll take you to Georgia. We’ve got pretty impressive sunsets there, too.”

Spock tilts his head ever so slightly, meeting his gaze for the first time since he sat down next to him. Leonard expects him to decline the impromptu offer, and nothing prepared him for the warmth welling up inside him when Spock answers: “Agreed, doctor.”

Behind them, outside the observation window, the station’s lighting slowly starts to change from day mode to night mode – and if you closed your eyes and turned your face towards the window, you could almost believe that the sun was setting over Yorktown.


End file.
